Shoe shining apparatus



Jan. 29, 1935. Q c MOLL v n 1,989,106

SHOE SHINING APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l 16 INVENTOR.

" 03min fjlall Jan. 29, 1935. Q MOLL 1,989,106

SHOE SHINING APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 41 L 47 ,7 38 2 Emil-E I r .6 Iii-J5 Mi Ivar-1 E INVENTOR. OsWLn 6f lloZL r M W ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE",

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved shoe shining apparatus and one object of the invention is to provide a hand operated device including a polisher adapted to be easily grasped in a persons hand and a polish applying element carried by the polisher and adapted to be moved from an extended position for use to a retracted position where it will be out of the way and not interfere with use of the polisher.

' Another object of the invention is to so form and mount the polish applying device that it may be easily slid from a retracted position to an extended position for use and permitted to be firmly held in an adjusted position but easily shifted from one position to the other when necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide the polish applying device with a dauber having polish incorporated therein and permit. thisdauber to be readily detachedfromthe handle of the polishing device when renewal of the dauber is necessary.

Another object of the invention is to so form the polishing device that when the polish applying device is moved to a retracted'position itsdauber may be disposed insuch a position that it will be out of the way and not contact with a shoe during a polishing or burnishing operation.

Another object of the inventionis to permit a burnishing strip forming part of the polisher to be easily renewed when necessary and to also permit the burnishing strip to be adjusted and dispose a selected portion thereof in position for use according to the type of polish which is being applied.

Another object of the invention isfto not only permit the burnishing strip to be adjusted according to whether black or tan shoes are to be polished but also permit the portion of the burnishingstrip not in use to serve as a soft pad or backing for the portion in use.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing a construction which is simple and durable, inexpensive tomanufacture and one which will be very efficient in use.

' With these and numerous other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein;

Figure l is a side elevation of a shoe shiner constructed in accordance with this invention.

ll Figure 2 is a top plan view of the improved shoe shiner with the polish applying devicein retracted'position. [V

Figure 3 is a top plan View showing the polish applying device in an extended position for use. i Figure 4 is an, enlarged sectional view takenalong the line 41-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is'a sectional view taken transversely through the shoe shiner along the line 66 of Figure 2. a

Figure 7 is an enlarged plan viewof the polish appl in device .with the dauber in place.- Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing the dauber detached. i Figure ,9 is a. sectional viewtakenalong the line 9 9ofFigure8. FigurelO is aview of the dauber looking at the face whichfiengages the attaching platecarried by the handle F'igure 1l,is a side elevation similar to Figure 1 showing the device formed a's a brush instead of with a burnishing strip.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of a modified fo of shoe shiner. 9

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the shoe shiner shown in Figure12. v V

Figure l lis a view similar to Figure 13-with the polish applying device. inanextended position for use.

Figure l5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 15,.-15 ofFigure 14.. Figure 16 isa sectional. view taken transversely through the shiner along the line 16-1601 Figure 15. I Figure 17 is an enlarged plan view of the polish applying devicewith, the dauber removed.

The improved shoe shiner illustrated in Figures- 1 through 9 has a back 1 which may be formedofwood or any other desired material and is pro-- vided along its side edge faces with grooves 2 in; order that it maybe easily gripped when held in 0' a persons hand for use. Theupper portion of. the back has its ends extendedas shown at 3 and 4 and in one end portion of the back is formed a 4 deep recess 5. An undercut groove 6 extends longitudinally of the back in its upper face for its full length with one end opening into the recess 5' p and intermediate the length'of this groove the back is cut to form a pocket, or seat? in which is mounted a strip of resilient metal 8, the central 1 portion, 9 of which normally projects upward slightly into the groove 6. Therefore, the strip 8 may serve as a friction latch to yieldably retain tongues 19 spaced from each other circumferena polish applying device in a set position as will be hereinafter brought out.

A pad 10 of felt or other suitable material is applied against the under face of the back 1 where it may be held by glue or in any other desired manner. This pad serves as a yielding backing for a burnishing strip 11 which may be sheepskin or fabric having a soft facing 12 of suflicient depth to permit a shoe to be easily and quickly shined after polish has been applied to the shoe. At its end, the burnishing strip carries sockets 13 for engagement with studs 14 carried by the back 1 and therefore, the burnishing strip may be detached and renewed when necessary or a plurality of burnishing strips may be provided and applied according to whether black or tan shoes are to be shined.

In order to apply polish to shoes, there has been provided a polish applying device consisting of a handle 15 having a dauber 16 at one end. The handle may be formed of wood, metal or any other material found necessary and in cross section conforms to the contour of the groove 6 in order that the handle may be slid longitudinally in this groove but prevented from dropping out of the same when the shoe shiner is in use or'put away. A lug 15 projects upwardly from the handle intermediate its length for engagement by a thumb in order that the handle may be slid longitudinally from the retracted position shown in Figure 2 to an extended position for use as shown in Figure 3 and returned to its retracted position when no longer needed. Referring to Figures 4 and 6, it will be seen that the arouate projection 9 of the resilient strip bears against the under face of the handle therefore exerting frictional grip upon the handle and causing the polish applying device to remain in a set position after being adjusted. The enlarged head 17 at the forward end of the handle 15 conforms to the contour of the recess or pocket. 5 so that it fits snugly into the same when the polish applier is retracted and against the under face of this head is secured a'metal plate 18 formed of resilient metal and having portions cut to provide tially of the plate as shown in Figure 8 and offset downwardly as shown in Figure 9. By this arrangement, the dauber may be easily applied or detached from its handle and when in place, it will be firmly held and not liable to slip loose.

The dauber serves notonly to apply polish to a shoe but also as a container for thepolish and consists of a metal backing or disk 20 and a plurality of sheets of fabric 21.covering masses of polish 22. This polish is in the form of paste and since the coverings for the same are formed of porous fabrics the paste may be forced through the fabrics by pressure applied when the dauber is in use and rubbed upon a shoe. Marginal portions of the backing disk or plate are rolled into gripping engagement with the sheets of fabric 22 as shown at 23 and in order to permit the dauber to be connected with the attaching plate or disk 18, there has been provided tongues 24 spaced from each other as shown in Figure 10 and facing circumferentially of the dauber so that by setting the dauber in place with its tongues between the tongues 19 of the attached plate and then imparting rotary motion to the dauber, the tongues 24 may be moved into gripping engagement with the tongues 19 as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 7 and firmly but releasably hold the dauber in place. A tongue 25 is provided in order to permit the dauber to be easily turned into and out of engagement with the attached plate. By this arrangement, a dauber may be very easily applied or removed and therefore a new dauber may be readily applied when polish of a dauber in use has become exhausted and also a number of daubers containing different types of polish maybe selectively applied according to whether black or tan shoes are to be polished.

The shoe shiner illustrated in Figure 11 is similar in construction to that previously described except that the back 26 instead of carrying a pad and burnishing strip is provided with tufts of bristles as shown at 27. This form of the device may be used for cleaning the shoes before they are shined or may be used for burnishing purposes by persons who prefer a soft brush instead of a burnishing strip. It will also be obvious that if so desired, the brush 2'! may take the place of the felt pad 10 as a backing for a burnishing strip and therefore serve as a yielding backing for a burnishing strip as well as for removing mud and other dirt from shoes prior to applying polish from the dauber 28.

In the embodiment disclosed in Figures 12 through 17, the back 29 carries facing strips 30 spaced from each other transversely of the back to form a longitudinally extending groove 31 and by referring to Figure 16, it will be seen that inner edge faces of the strips 30 are grooved as shown at 32 to receive ribs 33 projecting from opposite side edge faces of the handle 34 of the polish applying device. These grooves and the ribs are provided to prevent the handle from dropping out of the groove instead of forming the groove and handle as shown in Figure 6. The resilient strip 8 and the pocket receiving the same have also been omitted and instead there has been provided metal balls 35 mounted in countersunk sockets 36 carried by the handle. These metal balls project slightly beyond opposite faces of the handle and when the handle is thrust into the groove 31, the balls projecting from the under face of the handle will bear against the bottom of the groove and exert frictional binding which will yieldably resist sliding movement of the handle but permit it to be slid into or out of a retracted position when a thumb or finger is engage in the recess '37 exposed through the upper face of the handle. A latch 38 pivoted against the rear end of the handle may be moved from the position shown in Figures 14 and 15 in which position sliding of the handle is permitted to the position shown in Figures 12 and 13, in which the latch will engage the rear ends of the facing strips 30 and securely retain the handle in a retracted position with its head 39 seated in the recess or pocket formed in the back 29 at one end thereof.

In this embodiment of the invention, the polish applying device is provided with a pair of daubers 41 secured against the head 39 of the handle in opposed relation to each other as shown clearly in Figure 15. By this arrangement, the dauber containing one type of polish such as black may be applied against one face of the head 39 and a second dauber containingbrown or any other color polish desired may be applied against the other face of the head and the handle 34 slid out of the groove 30 and returned in a reversed position if a dauber containing the desired polish'is not in its proper position for use. The daubers are of a duplicate construction and each consists of a plurality of masses of polish 42 enclosed by sheets of cheesecloth or other fabric 43 through which'the polishmayeasily pass when pressure is applied. Marginal portions of the'sheet are sewed together as shown at 44 and the outerfabric disk has its marginal portion extended and secured about a metal ring 45 which takes the place of the disk 20. Against each face or; the head 39'is secured an attached plate 46 formed of resilient metal and having upstanding curved tongues along its inner edge as shown at 47- to forma flange beneath which a portion of the-steel ring is disposed as shown in Figure 15 and at its front end the attaching plate carries a tongue bent to form alatch 48 which engages the ring at the opposite side thereof from the flange 4'7 and securely but releasably holds the dauber in engagement with the attaching plate. There fore, the daubers may be firmly held in place but may be easily removed when it is necessary to renew them or it is desired to apply daubers having polish of a different type or color. A metal cap 49 which may be easily applied or removed is provided for each dauber in order to enclose the same when it is not in use and prevent the polish from evaporating and hardening.

The burnishing strip 50 used in connection with the form of shoe shiner now being described is of a different construction from that shown in Figures 1 through 9 and consists of a strip of sheepskin or other pliable material having a soft wool-like facing 51. This burnishing strip is of approximately twice the length of the back 29 and after being threaded through yokes 52 carried by the back is doubled as shown clearly in Figures 12 and 15 and its ends sewed together as shown at 53. Therefore, a burnisher is provided of an endless formation and having upper and lower flights and by referring to Figure 15, it will be seen that ends of the strip from which the burnisher is formed are extended to provide a tab or tongue 54 of such length that it may be easily grasped and the burnishing strip slid 1ongitudinally of the back, thereby presenting a selected portion of the burnishing strip lowermost for use. Sleeves 55 are loosely mounted upon the yokes to turn freely thereon and permit the burnishing strip to be easily slid longitudinally for adjustment.

By having the burnisher formed as shown in these figures one portion thereof may be used for polishing black shoes and the other for tan shoes and a selected portion easily moved into position for use with the other portion constituting a soft backing or pad for the same.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved device, the application of the same to use will be readily understood. It will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for-carrying out the objects of the invention.

While I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A shoe shining apparatus comprising a polisher having a back and a bumishing element carried thereby, the back being formed with a recess in one end and a groove extending from the recess longitudinally of the back in the opposite face thereof from said burnishing element and a polish applying device consisting of a; handle slidable longitudinally in said groove from a retracted position to an extended position with oneend projecting from the recessed end of the back, and daubers carried by the opposed faces of the last mentioned end of said handle for applying-different ty'pes'of'polish, one dauber being disposed in'the recess when the handle is in' aretr-acted position, the burnishing element being adjustable whereby selected portions {may be disposed in position for use according to the type of polish used.

' 2. Ashoe shining apparatus comprising a polisher having a back and a burnishing element carried thereby, and a polish applying device consisting of a handle slidable longitudinally of the back with a selected face uppermost from a retracted position to an extended position with one end projecting from one end of the back, and opposed daubers carried by the last mentioned end of said handle, the burnishing element being adjustable whereby selected portions thereof may be disposed in position for use according to the type of polish used.

3. A polish applying device consisting of a handle, an anchoring element secured upon one face of an end portion of said handle, and a dauber removably engaged with said anchoring element and consisting of a backing and superimposed masses of polishing material each covered by porous fabric.

4. A polish applying device consisting of a handle, an anchoring plate secured upon one face of an end portion of said handle, and having an overhanging flange and a latch spaced from the flange and a dauber having a backing disposed against the anchoring plate with a marginal portion engaged beneath said flange and an opposite marginal portion engaged by said latch to releas-ably hold the dauber in place.

5. A polish applying device consisting of a handle, an anchoring plate secured upon one face of an end portion of said handle, and having tongues extending circumferentially of the plate, and a dauber having a backing plate provided with tongues extending circumferentially of the backing plate and engaged with the tongues of the attaching plate by rotating the dauber to releasably hold the dauber in engagement with the attaching plate.

5. A shoe shining apparatus comprising a polisher having a back and a burnishing element carried thereby with the back disposed over the burnishing element, the back being formed with a recess in one end of less width than the back and a groove of less width than the recess extending from the recess longitudinally of the back in the opposite face thereof from said burnishing element, said recess being open at its top and bottom and outer end and having side walls and an inner end wall, and a polish applying device consisting of a handle slidable longitudinally in the groove from a retracted position to an extended position in which one end portion projects from the recessed end of the back, the last mentioned end portion of the handle being widened to form a head received in the recess when the handle is retracted, and a dauber carried by the head of said handle and extending from the head into the recess when the handle is retracted.

'7. A shoe shining apparatus comprising a polisher having a back formed in its upper face with a longitudinally extending groove, one end of said groove communicating with a pocket formed in the back and open at its outer end consisting of a rigid backing having gripping means about its margins and superimposed masses of polishing material each covered by porous fabrichaving marginal portions gripped by said gripping means.

9. In a polish applying device, a rigid backing, and superimposed masses of polishing material each covered by a sheet of porous fabric having extended marginal portions, the sheets of fabric having their marginal portions held firmly in engagement with marginal portions of said back- 10 ing.

OSWIN C. MOLL.. 

